Kathy Caprinohttp://kathycaprino.com
Expert career coaching, leadership training, career success seminars, and resources for professional women.Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:48:02 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Longing For a True Breakthrough? Make a Change Todayhttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/longing-for-a-true-breakthrough-make-a-change-today/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/longing-for-a-true-breakthrough-make-a-change-today/#commentsSat, 25 Jul 2015 14:42:37 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=739712 "hidden" crises impact thousands of working women today. If you're one of them, today is the day to do something about it.

Last weekend, I had the great pleasure of joining a number of inspiring local authors from Fairfield County, CT at the Wilton Library, to meet our area residents and share about our books and our work. It was a wonderful experience to connect with talented authors in my community – accomplished writers of a wide range of material including non-fiction, novels, memoirs, sports, etc. who have poured their talents and brilliance into their works to share their ideas and perspectives with the world. (I was very inspired to launch my 2nd book which is with a great agent now, and finish my screenplay this summer.) I sat next to Jack Cavanaugh, for instance, whose book Tunney: Boxing’s Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Demsey was nominated for a Pulitzer prize, and I was awed by his vast body of work.

In talking about my book Breakdown, Breakthrough: The Professional Woman’s Guide to Claiming a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose, it brought back the powerful experience I had in 2006-7 of conducting my yearlong in-depth research study on women overcoming professional crisis. I interviewed over 100 professional women across the country who’d experienced deep challenges in the workplace and in their careers, to dimensionalize and understand more deeply the key challenges and issues, and bring new solutions to the table. We explored the many social, cultural, organizational, and individual factors that contribute to these 12 “hidden” challenges professional women face, and identified more clearly how to successfully navigate through them. I learned in my subsequent quantitative follow-up study that 7 out of 10 working women ages 30-55 are experiencing at least one of these hidden challenges, and on average, they’re facing three at the same time.

As I mentioned in the interview, while Breakdown, Breakthrough was published in 2008, it’s as relevant today as it was then. In my coaching, teaching and career consulting work with over 10,000 women in 10 years, I see and hear daily how these 12 challenges hit women hard, and over half don’t know what to do about it.

The 12 “hidden” challenges the book explores are experiences of disempowerment, professional paralysis and emotional pain that fall into four categories: our relationship (and empowerment – or disempowerment) with Ourselves, Others, the World and our Higher Selves. Here’s a brief look at these challenges:

Empowerment With Self

1. Resolving Chronic Health Problems

2. Overcoming Loss

3. Achieving Self-Love

Empowerment with Others

4. Speaking Up with Power

5. Breaking Cycles of Mistreatment

6. Shifting from Competition to Collaboration

Empowerment with the World

7. Escaping Financial Traps

8. Using Real Talents in Life and Work

9. Helping Others and the World

Empowerment with Higher Self

10. Falling Together After Falling Apart

11. Balancing Life and Work

12. Doing Work and Play You Love

One thing I’ve seen countless times in my career consulting programs – the vast majority of people wait until a true crisis hits before they take action to change how they operate in the world. I lived this experience as well – staying for 18 years in a corporate career and life that was terribly ill-fitting and unfulfilling (even damaging) for me. I waited until I’d experienced all 12 of the crises I write and speak about, before I finally snapped and said “I’m done with this! I refuse to feel like a victim one minute longer.”

If any of these challenges ring true for you, I hope you’ll make this the day you finally take one concrete action to improve your life. It doesn’t have to turn your whole life upset down, and you don’t necessarily have to chuck your entire career out the window. (As I love to say, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”) But you do have to do something different, to modify and improve the way you operate in the world. Whether it’s committing to taking the necessary time to restore and rejuvenate yourself from the toxicity around you, or taking my Career Path Self-Assessment to gain more clarity on what you really want going forward, or finally mustering the courage to have that tough conversation with your boss (or your spouse), today is the day to do it.

Don’t wait until true crisis smacks you in the face before you realize that you deserve better in your life and work, and you’re ready to get it.

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/longing-for-a-true-breakthrough-make-a-change-today/feed/4The Most Paralyzing Blocks We Need To Overcome To Do Our Best Workhttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/the-most-paralyzing-blocks-we-need-to-overcome-to-do-our-best-work/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/the-most-paralyzing-blocks-we-need-to-overcome-to-do-our-best-work/#commentsThu, 23 Jul 2015 20:01:33 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7392Success and joy in our work doesn't just "arrive" or fall in our laps. We have to clear the pathway for it every day, by overcoming these common but paralyzing blocks.

This week, I had a career consultation with a client that hit me right between the eyes. While I’ve delivered hundreds of laser-focused consulting sessions in the past, in this one, it was clear in literally 10 minutes why this individual had struggled for 20 years in her work as an attorney, and what she needed to do to change that. A powerful realization emerged for both of us – that how she internally conceived of, and viewed her work with divorce had been triggering significant pain and emotional trauma from her childhood.

I’m seeing more clearly than ever that the way people speak and write about their work, the way they frame it and emotionally relate to it reveals exactly what’s in the way of their moving forward to a happier life. And from their responses to my Career Path Self-Assessment survey (a specially-designed set of questions I wish someone had asked me when I was just starting out and that all professionals need to answer), they reveal striking clues about the pain, negative internal messaging and emotional struggles from the past that are now hampering their ability to move forward to craft a joyful livelihood.

Literally every single client of mine in the past 10 years who is stuck in an unhappy career is struggling with at least one of the six common blocks to progress. On the flip side, the highly successful and happy professionals I work with who find joy, reward, and passion in their work have overcome these blocks, either intentionally or organically.

I believe that it’s an inevitable aspect of our human condition to have developed subconscious mindsets, beliefs and blocks that will somehow, at some point, thwart and undermine our happiness and success unless we work to uncover and resolve them. I’ve faced all six of these blocks myself in my 30 years of professional life, and can attest to how damaging they are.

Below are the six core blocks that successful professionals have overcome to be happy and well-rewarded in their work. And these six blocks keep others stuck in career misery, confusion and paralysis.

Block 1: The outcomes you are striving for are, in some core way, conflicting with what you believe is good, right and true.

You simply can’t succeed if you’re in a tangle about the outcomes you’re focused on achieving in your work.

Years ago in my corporate life, I found that the marketing work I was doing felt very wrong to me. I was promoting products that I felt had no real meaning or benefit to customers, and our sweepstakes promotions were attracting people desperate to win big money because they couldn’t pay their bills. They didn’t want our products; they wanted to win money (I’d listen in to our telemarketing calls for the sweepstakes promotions and my heart would break). In the end, I hated the outcomes I was paid to achieve.

You will not achieve success (emotional, financial, professional or otherwise) if you can’t get behind the outcomes you’re bringing about in your work. Shift your work focus so that you’re proud of and fully behind the outcomes you’re striving for, advertising and promoting.

Ask yourself: What are the critical outcomes my work currently focuses on? Now…how excited and supportive am I, really, about these outcomes?

Block 2: Your shaken confidence and faltering self-esteem have impaired your ability to see that you’re worth great money and respect in the workplace.

How well you’re doing professionally is inextricably linked to your relationship with and feelings about money and self-worth. If you feel, for instance, that you need to keep your service prices down to the bare minimum (where you’re not earning anything) because you aren’t sure what you’re worth (or you think that charging a lot is “bad”), you’ll most likely fail in your business. There are ways to be of service to every budget, certainly, but you need to build a smart, flexible, multi-tiered business model that allows you to serve both those with and without access to money. You can do that many different ways including offering high-quality free materials and low-cost products as well as higher-cost services and programs. But in the end, you’ll go broke if you think that charging good money is a bad thing or that you’re not worthy anything to anyone.

In another example, as you’re going out in the world interviewing and applying for jobs, if you subconsciously doubt that you are worthy of being well-paid, you never will get the offers and recognition you deserve.

There are many ways to earn great money doing soulful, mission-driven work, but again, you need to be clear about your beliefs around what you “should” be earning and charging and how you feel about being wealthy or well-paid. If you have any shame about charging well, then you’ll need to heal to issues around self-confidence and self-esteem, and gain more clarity about the great skills and talents you have to offer.

Ask yourself: What do I feel I truly deserve in terms of compensation for my work? How do I feel about being well-compensated, even wealthy, doing this work? What holds me back from earning more?

Block 3: You persistently doubt that you are smart, talented or experienced enough to succeed at what you want.

My goodness, I’d be a millionaire if I had a dime for every person I’ve worked with who doubts the power and usefulness of her smarts, experience and abilities. Thousands of people I’ve worked with have suffered from some degree of “unworthiness” (and I have too). If you’re feeling that you really don’t have the talent, brains, expertise or experience to be valuable in the direction you long to, you’ll have to address this block proactively. You need to look first at where you got the idea you’re “nothing” or not enough, and secondly, you need a realistic assessment of what’s required to succeed in the field or direction you wish to pursue.

If you need additional experience or training, then go out and get it. Find a way. If you’re solid right where you are (with no need for more training or experience), stop yourself from your chronic put downs and from thinking you don’t have what it takes. Fake it until you become it (see Amy Cuddy’s powerful Ted talk for more on this). If you don’t know if you need more training or experience, do some exploratory online and in-person research with people, recruiters and hiring managers in the field and figure it out once and for all.

Ask yourself: Do I believe I have the talent and expertise (and worthiness) to be a tremendous success at what I long to do? If not, what step can I take today?

Block 4: You were culturally trained and taught that it’s not right or good to shine too brightly or stand out.

No matter what field or function you’re in today, you have to be able to broadcast in powerful, engaging ways what you’re great at (your “superpower”), and you have to do it both online and in person. You need other people to help you succeed and thrive, and to engage others, you need to talk about what you do incredibly well (and everyone has something that they’re amazing at). Become more comfortable sharing what excites and enthralls you, and stimulating others by your passion and your mission. If that’s too challenging, get some support to overcome this resistance.

Ask yourself: Was I raised or conditioned to think that shining my light too brightly was garish, arrogant, unseemly or not humble enough? Was I shamed by my family when I shone too brightly? Was there someone else in my family I was told not to outshine?

Block 5: You have been taught that following your passion is a huge mistake – you believe it will hurt you or you’ll end up broke or miserable if you do.

The people who are the most successful and joyful (and empowered) in life have followed their passions, values, integrity and interests to a very high degree. They know what they’re made of, and they aren’t afraid to pursue an “unsure” path because they understand that the happiest lives are about being of use and making a difference in ways that matter. They know how they uniquely contribute and they won’t be stopped in delivering those contributions. Because of their indifference to the “sure” path, they are risk tolerant and have found great joy and security within themselves.

On the other hand, there are thousands of people who were taught and trained by their parents that following their passions for work would be a disaster – crazy, irresponsible and stupid. Many of these folks were potentially well-meaning authority figures who wanted security for their children. Sadly, their dogged insistence that “following your passion will lead to failure” generated a very negative result. These parents stripped their adult children of the ability to think for themselves, and live by their own beliefs, values, and standards, independently and confidently.

What to do? Complete my Career Path Self-Assessment and brainstorm every day for a full week about what you would pursue if money, time, support, etc. were no object. What would you research, explore and try on, and what new directions would you identify as desirable? Identify the visions you could, in actuality, commit to bringing into reality. And determine the activities that you’re passionate about that should remain as hobbies vs. endeavors you wish to explore making at a living in. If you don’t know, start talking to people doing work you’re interested in, and shadow folks engaged in what you think you want to do. Try on the professional identity. When you do, you’ll learn quickly if it’s for you.

Ask yourself: Do you believe that following your passion for your work will end badly? Who taught you that and what was their motivation and (hidden) agenda?

Block 6: You think you must chuck everything and leave your old career totally behind to be happy.

This is the most misguided belief of all. You don’t necessarily have to leave your old identity and your old work completely behind to have a happier life. More often, it’s a pivot or a tweak – in direction, focus, outcomes, those you’re helping, and how you’re operating in the world – that will bring the most fulfillment, not chucking everything and completely starting over. In fact, the pain you’re feeling won’t go away if you just run – it will follow you wherever you go unless you learn how to BE different – and see things differently — in the world.

Take the time this month to explore ways you can draw on what you’ve already learned, done and achieved. Identify 3 new directions that could potentially marry up and make great use of everything you are already, and everything you’ve learned and done. Understand who you are and the great skills, talents and abilities you already possess, and find new ways to leverage those.

If any of these blocks resonate with you, there’s work to be done. Don’t waste another minute remaining paralyzed in unhappy, unrewarding work.

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/the-most-paralyzing-blocks-we-need-to-overcome-to-do-our-best-work/feed/0The Top 10 Life Mistakes That Make Us Struggle Mosthttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/the-top-10-life-mistakes-that-make-us-struggle-most/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/the-top-10-life-mistakes-that-make-us-struggle-most/#commentsSat, 04 Jul 2015 20:19:41 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7339Of all the mistakes people make, these 10 seem to have the most detrimental impact on success, happiness, and fulfillment.

Five years ago, I wrote a post called “My 52 Mistakes” about the worst missteps I’d taken in my life, and what I’d learned from them. At that time, I was compelled to share these 52 learnings, because after living through the pain and struggle that came from these “mistakes” and trying to undo the havoc they wreaked on my life, I wanted to help others avoid them at all costs. People wrote me from all over the world about how these mistakes resonated with them, and mirrored their own life experiences.

Truth be told, I don’t really believe in the notion of “mistakes” because I’ve seen that everything that happens can be for our highest good, if we learn the right lessons and integrate them for our growth. That said, there are, without doubt, error-ridden directions we follow that lead to disaster, pain, sadness, and loss. And if we don’t understand the root cause behind these crushing detours from our highest and happiest path, we’re doomed to repeat them.

If I boil down my own biggest mistakes along with the missteps others have shared with me that caused them the deepest pain, the top 10 would be these:

Not comprehending what you’re capable of

After reviewing thousands of responses from clients of my Career Path Self-Assessment, I can see how the vast majority of us don’t have a clue of our specialness and importance in the world. We’re crushed down by demoralizing experiences around us in our jobs and relationships, and we forget (or actually have never really seen) how our talents, gifts and passions are unique and so needed in the world. For 18 years in my corporate life, I never once had a glimpse of what I was truly capable of being, doing and creating. It was only when the Universe kindly stepped in and helped me get so brutally ejected from my unhappy corporate existence that I finally “got it” and transformed my life. Not understanding what you’re capable of, and how the world needs you and your gifts, is the most crippling of all mistakes.

Associating with and trusting the wrong people

There is no question that the people we associate with, and those we allow ourselves to be in relationship with, dramatically shape who we are and what happens to us. If the people around you don’t value, respect or care for you, or if they live by values that are in stark contrast to yours (and make your heart ache), your life can’t be what you dream it to be. If you want to soar like an eagle, then you have to take that huge leap of faith to surround yourself with eagles. (Thanks, Mo Faul, for that reminder.)

Letting your beliefs and fears around money stop you living full out

Literally more than 90% of the clients and colleagues I’ve connected with over the past 10 years (over 10,000) have a challenged relationship with money or some form of money trauma from their past. These challenges, mindsets, fears and blocks aren’t all about scarcity. I’ve met scores of people who’ve earned or inherited millions of dollars yet they don’t feel they deserve it, feel terribly guilty about it, or feel like impostors. Others can’t believe that a happier life or career is in the cards for them, despite having a masters degree, and fantastic credentials and experiences. And others still dream of better jobs, careers and livelihoods but sabotage their own growth because of intense risk-aversion and deep fear around needing “security” and “safety” from money. Until you can untangle your money story and stop making money a ruthless God in your life that you need to feed and worship daily, you won’t achieve what you dream of.

Comparing yourself to others in ways that crush your confidence and life energy

I’m a fan of healthy competition, and believe it can absolutely fuel growth. But comparing ourselves to others and continually feeling “less than” ruins our lives. If you’re constantly comparing yourself to others — other business people, colleagues, peers, family members, etc. — and come up short, your life will be drained of the confidence, energy and vibrancy you need to move forward.

Refusing to learn

When we’re going through painful, crushing times, there are critical lessons we’re meant to learn, but many of us fail to get these lessons. We miss the point entirely. In fact, if you feel yourself in constant regret about what you should have done in the past, you’re failing to learn the right lessons. I failed to learn, for instance, that my deep unhappiness in my corporate career wasn’t because I wasn’t “good enough,” but because I was constantly pointed in the wrong direction, working on business outcomes that meant nothing to me. The “right” lessons empower, uplift and strengthen you, not push you down. If we don’t shift and change, and learn from what’s happening to us, we’ll simply continue to bloody our heads against the same brick walls. We’ve got to learn new lessons and modify how we operate in the world in ways that thrill us, or we’ll never break the cycles of pain that we continually co-create.

Not understanding that you are separate from your thoughts

We are not our thoughts, and our thoughts don’t have to rule and control us. But they will control us if we have no awareness of what we are thinking and why. Learning to separate ourselves from our thoughts is life-changing (mediation is a transformative tool for that – check out Lodro Rinzler for beginning meditation support). The key is to learn to observe our thoughts, and create a separation from them so that with greater awareness and wisdom, we can choose how we want to react and behave in the world. If we never gain awareness of what we’re thinking, we’re powerless to shape our reactions and behaviors.

Letting your ego and your need to be right wreck your peace, well-being and relationships

Our egos, and our need to defend our thoughts, values, and positions, can be healthy and helpful. But often, our egos run wild, and tiny sparks of narcissism can make us react in ways that burn bridges, sever helpful ties, and thwart our growth. If you’re constantly looking for validation that you’re “right,” important, valuable, and if you feel the urge to drum out of existence people who don’t agree with you or who challenge you, your ego needs some work. After all, we simply can’t build the life we dream of if we cut off and alienate all our supporters, friends and advocates.

Ignoring your body

After years of chronic illness (in the form of a terrible infection in my trachea every few months for four years), I finally learned this: your body says what your lips cannot. If we ignore what our bodies are trying to tell us, we’ll suffer, and continue to suffer, until we listen and learn. And if we’re hoping to live a beautifully rich, happy and fulfilling life but fail to give our physical bodies what they need to be healthy, supported and nourished, we’ll fail to have the energy and vitality we need to make the impact we hope to.

Failing to stretch beyond who you think you are and what you’re comfortable in

In an interview I conducted with Herminia Ibarra recently on How Authenticity Can Keep Professionals From Growing Into Effective Leaders, I realized even more acutely how an over-attachment to “authenticity” can actually keep us from stretching and moving forward. If we stay only where we feel comfortable, even with regard to our self-identity, we’ll never get to the new destination that we dream of, because we fear it’s not who we “really are” yet. The deep longing to stay put, and to feel “comfort” and “security,” creates, in the end, the most painful type of discomfort – the realization that we failed to fulfill our highest goals and potential. As Amy Cuddy shares in her powerful Ted Talk, at times you have to “fake it til you become it.”

Not doing the inner work to create the outer life you dream of

Finally, I’ve seen this in my own life and in thousands of others I work with – if you refuse to do the inner work on yourself to become stronger, wiser, more courageous, more competent, and less reactive, then the outer experiences in your life will fail to satisfy you. A happy, joyful and fulfilling life takes work, and it starts with inner work – on your thoughts, insecurities, reactivity, negative mindsets, and fears. If what’s in front of you is making you unhappy, you first have to look inward to explore our part in it (we are 50% of what happens to us). If you refuse to identify how you’re co-creating your problems and your unhappiness, and shift it, you’ll continue to bring into your life exactly the same results. And those won’t bring the peace, joy, and fulfillment you ache for.

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/07/the-top-10-life-mistakes-that-make-us-struggle-most/feed/12Why You’ve Hit a Career Wall, and What To Do About Ithttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/06/why-youve-hit-a-career-wall-and-what-to-do-about-it/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/06/why-youve-hit-a-career-wall-and-what-to-do-about-it/#commentsWed, 24 Jun 2015 00:01:19 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7311if you've hit a career wall, these 6 personal blocks are most likely involved.

Throughout the past ten years of career success coaching, I’ve become deeply committed to “scaling transformation” – finding new ways to help not just a handful of people each month, but thousands, and assist them in figuring out what they really want to do with their careers or businesses, and making it a reality.

I’ve learned that bringing about large scale transformation requires helping people complete the puzzle of their lives, assembling the pieces together so that they can honor all that has happened to them from birth on, and leverage exactly who they are and amplify those talents and abilities. When done right, the puzzle is truly beautiful – it becomes a unique, powerful and thrilling picture of why they’re on this planet now and what they’re longing to create and achieve.

The challenge to this, however, is unearthing exactly what holds them back from a happier life and more a satisfying professional focus, and offering practical, tailored, and realistic steps to get them unstuck. Another deeper challenge is helping individuals modify what’s necessary in their mindset and behavior to become more confident, courageous and capable of pursuing the direction of their dreams.

As a start, I’ve launched a 16-week online course, the Amazing Career Project, and we’re in Week 6 right now, with 75 courageous and committed members. What I’m seeing with members of this course validates everything I’ve learned in my 30-year career (and through my own career walls and reinventions) about why we stay stuck and miserable, and why so many millions of people won’t budge out of their unhappiness, ever.

I’ve observed six personal blocks that lead straight to a career wall. These six personal blocks are:

1. Messages and experiences from your past keep you stuck.

Literally every single person I’ve worked with in some capacity (that’s over 10,000 people now) has had things happen in their lives that have ground them to a halt at some point. Whether it’s an abusive father, a controlling spouse, an alcoholic mother, a tragedy that shaped them, negative messages they received from authority figures or trauma from a painful work experience — everyone on this planet seems to have had extremely challenging experiences that altered them. The question then isn’t “Have you had deep challenges?” but “How have you processed these experiences and what have you interpreted about life and about yourself from them?” Most of us, sadly, don’t learn the right lessons from our experiences and come away feeling crushed, “less than” and defeated by these events.

2. You don’t really believe that you’re worth more than this unhappiness.

Another personal block is a deep lack of a sense of worthiness. Women upon women I’ve worked with have shared that they really don’t feel worthy of an amazing life, and more than that, they don’t feel worthy of putting their needs and desires first.

The reality is that takes a good deal of time, effort, commitment (and in many cases an investment of money and resources) to build a fabulous life. If everyone else in your life is getting your love, energy and nurturing except you, you’ll never move forward. You’ll just never make it happen for yourself if you’re the last person on the planet who is getting your attention.

3. You don’t understand how to differentiate between the “essence” of what you want vs. the right “form.”

In my Career Path Self-Assessment survey (which offers deep and revealing clues as to where you’re stuck), I see over and over that what people fantasize about in terms of new careers are actually NOT the right roles for them because they don’t fit other key criteria necessary for success. For instance, they dream about being a:

Therapist or social worker

Restaurant owner

Dancer (or singer, actor, voiceover artist, painter, etc.)

Non-profit founder

Teacher

Massage therapist

Travel writer

Author

…etc.

Most people know nothing about the professional identity of their fantasy careers, and they‘re not able to distinguish between endeavors that will truly make them happy as a paying profession vs. hobbies that will bring them joy. For instance, launching a startup sounds glamorous, but it takes so much more work, grit and risk-tolerance than people understand.

They fantasize about these jobs because of the “essence” they believe these roles represent, such as helping others, moving the needle on an important cause, teaching and inspiring others, healing, etc. These are great goals in life, certainly, and meaningful ones, but not every dream of ours is the right professional direction for us.

We can find ways to bring the desired essence into our lives a million different ways other than assuming the professional identities listed above. You have to be able to figure out the right “form” (job and role) that will not only give you the essence of what you want, but also will fit your personality, your values and approach to living along with all the other needs and desires you have (including financial, spiritual and behavioral needs).

Tip: Look at your list of fantasy jobs. Identify the “essence” that these represent, then brainstorm 10 different ways to bring that essence into your life.

4. You don’t recognize that you’re depressed.

Additionally, so many people in unhappy careers are actually depressed. When you’re depressed, you don’t have the capacity to envision a happier direction, or find the energy to make it a reality. Or, often you’re looking for a quick fix or a magic bullet to feel better, and more fulfilled. So many of the people I’ve spoken to this year who desperately want a new career are struggling with some form of depression, and they’re not alone. Nearly one in 12 Americans suffer from depression. Almost 8% of Americans aged 12 and older were moderately to severely depressed during 2009 to 2012 but only slightly more than one third of those suffering from severe depression seek treatment.

Tip: As a trained therapist I can tell you that depression is real and not something to be ignored. Don’t just sweep it under the rug. Get help to feel better. And if traditional talk therapy doesn’t move you forward, explore alternative approaches to healing.

5. You don’t know how to leverage what you know and use that to launch to next level.

A fabulous career is created by leveraging all that you are, know and experienced. It’s not about running from pain and suppressing what you hate, or pretending it doesn’t exist. It requires that you marry up all the skills, talents, capabilities and passions you have, and find a new direction that will make great use of these abilities. When you’re looking for the best direction that will make you thrilled to be alive, start with a fearless inventory of who you are and what you have to offer the world.

Tip: The happiest careers use all that you are and all that you’ve learned. Don’t leap off the cliff trying to be someone you’re not.

6. You want everything right now, and aren’t willing to do the real, hard work of building a fabulous life.

Finally, I’ve seen thousands of people who want it all – an enormous salary, great flexibility, total control of their time, a fabulous lifestyle, and great meaning in their work, yet aren’t willing to change anything about themselves or their lives to get it. They want all the joys and passion of a calling, along with the stability and financial security of a job. Forget that.

Do you “deserve” everything you want? Yes, but you can’t have everything you want if you’re not committed to doing the work on yourself, and in the world, to make it a reality.

If you’re unhappy with your life now, but won’t change yourself, then nothing in your life will ever change.

Tip: If you think your new career will heal all that has gone wrong before and all that hurts in your life, you’re asking too much of a career. Your career is a natural outgrowth of all that you are, not a replacement for it. If you desperately want more happiness in your work, you first have to access more happiness in yourself, despite what’s around you.

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/06/why-youve-hit-a-career-wall-and-what-to-do-about-it/feed/06 Ways to Identify What You Love, And Build a Rewarding, Lucrative Career Around Ithttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/06/6-ways-to-identify-what-you-love-and-build-a-rewarding-lucrative-career-around-it/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/06/6-ways-to-identify-what-you-love-and-build-a-rewarding-lucrative-career-around-it/#commentsMon, 15 Jun 2015 19:40:46 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7302There is a pathway to doing what you love and making a great living in it, but only when you take the right steps.

June 2nd was my birthday, and when that day comes each year, I focus on doing a few things well: spend it with people I adore, reflect back on the year and see clearly the key lessons I need to learn from it, and finally, relish what’s appeared in my life and be grateful for it.

Towards that end, I’m deeply thankful for not only the achievements and happy experiences, but also the terribly hard pitfalls that tripped me up and pushed me to my knees, as these ultimately cleared the pathway to what I really enjoy doing in my life and work. Transforming from a very unhappy 18-year corporate career to a highly fulfilling life as a career coach, writer and business owner, and also figuring out how to make money pursuing my deepest passions, I’ve learned that it can be very hard to see things clearly for yourself – and take empowered action — when you’re lost in the muck and the mud.

Of all the questions I receive from folks desperately longing to change careers, the one that stumps them the most is this:

“Kathy, how do I figure out what my core passion, then build a lucrative career around it?”

Personally speaking, years ago I faced deep financial challenges doing work I loved, and then figured out exactly why, and I teach those principles now. And I’ve answered this question in many other posts, videos, exercises and homework assignments (and in my Amazing Career Project online course). But I’d like to take a different tack today and offer six ways to identify what will make you happy to focus on in your career, then generate the great income you need and want from it.

To figure out what your mission and passion are:

Don’t just look at who you are today, but who you’ve always been.

I’ve seen through my clients’ revelations that who we are (what we care about, what we’re drawn to, what enlivens us) often emerges very early in life. For most of us, there were glaring signs and clues of our essential happiest selves in our teen and young adult years, and even earlier. Even if your parents suppressed your gifts and talents, you knew and felt they were there. But sadly, we don’t recognize these signs. We don’t see our own special talents, interests, gifts and exciting areas of focus as important or unique.

Tip: To tap into the awe-inspiring aspects of who you are and always will be, take some time over the next week to make a thorough inventory of everything you’ve ever loved and cared about when you were young and in your 20s. Then, spend some time thinking about what’s remained a constant in your life – what you still care about deeply and are drawn to – and develop new ideas for how to bring your gifts, talents or areas of passion forward more prominently in your life today.

Identify the skills you love to use.

One of the toughest lessons I’ve learned was the idea that just because you’re great at something doesn’t mean you should build a career around it. I realized late in life that I had become good at a number of tasks in my 18-year corporate career (such as presenting to a boardroom of senior executives on my programs’ P&L’s, or selling major bank clients on working with us in multimillion-dollar marketing campaigns) but I actually intensely disliked this work.

Tip: Think back on every job you’ve ever had – what you loved, hated, your biggest accomplishments, hardest lessons and, finally, what you want to bring forward from those experiences in a deeper way in your career now. Then do some critical research about jobs and careers that will allow you to draw on the specific skills and talents you love to use.

Figure out who you really want to help.

In my own business now, I use many of the same marketing and communications skills that I developed throughout my corporate career. But the biggest difference is that I’m using these skills and talents now for a completely different purpose and cause, one that I really care about — helping others who need support to build careers they love. In my previous corporate life, I felt that my talents and time were being utterly wasted on promoting meaningless products that contributed no real value to the world. Back then, it was all about the “bottom line,” and I wished the bottom line was focused on something more than just money.

You’ll find that if don’t believe in the outcomes you’re being asked to work toward, you’ll never enjoy your professional life. You’ll feel wasted, spent, lost and miserable.

Tip: Figure out as concretely and specifically as possible who you want to help, and the outcomes you wish to support in your work. Then, start networking extensively to help you land a role (or launch a business) that will give you the chance to support those causes and areas that most matter to you.

Now…how do you build a lucrative career around your passions?

Millions of people today believe that following your passions will break and ruin you. I’ve seen throughout my 10 years of career success coaching, however, that this is just a terribly misguided myth. Following your passions is not a recipe for failure, IF you do the right things (but so many people don’t). Here are three most powerful steps:

Learn how to monetize what you’re fabulous at.

My husband is a jazz percussionist, composer and music educator, and the world he’s immersed in is filled with an enormous array of incredible artists, creatives and highly gifted individuals. Some are extremely successful financially, but sadly, many others aren’t. I’ve seen that so many creatives (singers, filmmakers, painters, actors, jewelers, designers, sculptors, etc.) are amazing at their artistic talents, but aren’t clear on how to monetize their work and talents – how to promote and broadcast them, and create a fierce demand for what they do. Often, gifted individuals feel the world “owes” them because they’re so talented. But that’s not the way the world works. You have to identify what you’re fabulous at, illustrate why that’s important to the world, then find ways to be of service to others with your talents so that people (and organizations) are happy to pay richly for what you bring that enhances their goals and visions.

Tip: It’s not enough to be fabulous. Take the time to find new ways to be of service to others with your great talents. This week, brainstorm 30 new ways you can use and apply your immense talents to help others succeed and organizations grow and flourish. Then start sharing your vision for helping others with everyone you know, and asking people to connect you with others who might be helpful to speak with.

Build the necessary confidence to believe that you can earn great money.

I’ve seen firsthand that without confidence, you don’t make the right decisions and take the right actions to bring money and reward your way. And we’re not born with confidence – it’s BOLD action that generates confidence. To build a lucrative career, you have to be able to communicate confidently, and in compelling ways – not with arrogance and egotism, but in a way that illustrates clearly why people should hire you, and utilize your special skills. If you can’t speak and share with courage and confidence how you stand apart from the competition and why what you do is critical, you simply won’t move forward to earning sufficient income. And you won’t earn what you deserve.

Finally, if all of these steps are too challenging for you, or you’re still left feeling dazed, confused, and paralyzed, there’s likely more going on within you than you realize that is keeping you stuck. Among the thousands of folks I’ve worked with, a solid majority have some form of financial or emotional block, and/or trauma left over from past experiences that they haven’t yet healed or addressed. And these blocks do stop you in your tracks.

This describes me in my former life – I was stuck because my boundaries were insufficient, my understanding of my talents was poor, I was angry and resentful, and I was rudderless – unsure what I cared about and how to find work that mattered. And I hadn’t recognized the need for inspiring role models, mentors and sponsors. Once I figured all that out, the path was cleared (but, of course, there is always internal and external work that needs to be done to continue to reach the level you long to). Therapy and coaching were essential for me to see what I couldn’t on my own.

Tip: If no matter what you do or what job you pursue, you’re unhappy and unsuccessful, it’s time to get some outside help – in some cases career coaching will help, in others it’s therapeutic support that’s needed (vist aamft.org for great therapeutic support in your area). And role models, mentors and sponsors are critical. As Einstein said so powerfully, “We cannot solve a problem on the level of consciousness that created it.” It’s very hard to see clearly what’s holding you back from the life you dream of, especially when the block is you.

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/06/6-ways-to-identify-what-you-love-and-build-a-rewarding-lucrative-career-around-it/feed/2Here’s Why We Remain Stuck In Careers We Hate – 8 Essential Reasonshttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/05/heres-why-we-remain-stuck-in-careers-we-hate-8-essential-reasons/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/05/heres-why-we-remain-stuck-in-careers-we-hate-8-essential-reasons/#commentsFri, 08 May 2015 02:05:58 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7267We think we know why we stay in a career we hate, but more often than not, there are underlying reasons we're not aware of.

Speaking with people every day who are in careers or jobs they hate, I’ve asked myself, “How did we get here? How has it happened that so many thousands of people have become despondent, angry and lost about what they do for a living?”

Clearly, there are many factors at play here, including the rise of technology – that makes setting boundaries around our professional lives virtually impossible. Further, in the past 30 years, we’ve become slaves to the almighty dollar, addicted to acquiring things we can’t afford, which keeps us working longer and harder just to break even. And, the cost of living is so high for so many, that just making ends meet is tough. Additionally, many people have jumped into jobs or fields early in their careers, only to discover 10 or 20 years later that they can’t break free.

But I believe there are even deeper reasons for this epidemic of people hating what they do each day for their living. These reasons touch on underlying emotional, spiritual and behavioral conditions, and reveal a deep disconnection to what it means to live joyfully, authentically, and meaningfully.

By the way, I’m fully prepared to receive comments on this post that debunk it, such as: “Yeah sure, Kathy, you can talk about having a meaningful career, but I’m a single parent with two kids and can’t afford the luxury of liking my work.”

Or:

“This is nonsense – work is work, and you should change your expectations if you think you’re going to love it.”

I’ve heard these types of comments by the hundreds.

I learned as a therapist that when people feel completely stuck, they get angry and defensive – like a caged animal. They experience themselves as victimized and backed into a tight, dark corner. They just can’t see a way out. But from my vantage point (and after reinventing my career from miserable corporate VP to supremely fulfilled coach, consultant and business owner), there is always a way out; there are always new options and solutions but often we just can’t see them. Anyone and everyone can make their lives better, more satisfying, more enjoyable, but only if you believe that having more fulfillment or joy in your life or career is a goal worth trying for and within your reach (eventually).

Based on feedback I’ve received from thousands of professionals here and abroad, I’ve observed the following eight core reasons why people remain stuck in careers they hate. As I share these, please know I’m not sitting in judgment of any of these; in fact, I’ve lived through each and every one of these conditions.

1. You don’t know yourself deeply enough

The vast majority of people I see in the workplace just don’t know themselves at all. When asked, “What’s your top priority in life and in your career? What would you give up anything for?” or “When you’re 90 looking back, what do you want to have done, been, and left behind? ” I get blank stares and mouths hanging open. People don’t know themselves well or deeply today. Why? Perhaps we don’t make time in our lives to get to know ourselves – we’re just too over-the-top busy. Or perhaps the process of knowing oneself deeply is intimidating and scary. Whatever the reason – if you don’t know who you are, at your core, and what you stand for and care about, how can you lead a life that aligns with your needs, values, and interests? (My free Career Path Self-Assessment will help you get to know yourself better.)

2. You know yourself, but you make yourself wrong

I’ve seen that women in particular might know themselves and identify what they want, but they make themselves wrong about it. They tell themselves, “Yeah, I want to change, but I’m wrong or foolish (or selfish) to feel that way.” Or “I’m lucky to have a job, so I shouldn’t rock the boat” or “I have so much – I should just feel blessed and not complain.” So many people (women in particular) doubt the validity of their feelings or repress their deepest longings because they think they’re wrong to have them. Until you can make yourself “right” about what you feel, you won’t find peace or joy.

3. You’ve lost the courage to act

For many who know what they want, they’ve lost the courage to take BOLD action. We’ve been seduced by some misguided concept that life should always be easy. Where did we get that idea? Making change is never easy (it’s scary and threatens the status quo), but it’s so worth it, especially if you hate where you are today. It takes courage, grit, and commitment to bring about lasting change, and you can do it, but only if you decide to connect to your own internal power, courage and fortitude. (Check out my book Breakdown Breakthrough for real-life stories of courageous women who’ve transformed their lives and careers.)

This reason is yours if you can answer “Yes” to this question: “Are you staying in a career that makes you miserable solely because you think it’s the only one that will keep paying you what you want?” If money is keeping you stuck, it’s time you think about prioritizing your happiness over your checkbook. How much money do you truly need? Is your current lifestyle so important to you that you’d trade it over your health, happiness, relationship, and your well-being? Of course you have to pay your bills and meet your financial obligations – I’m not suggesting for a minute that you don’t. I am however recommending that you revisit how you live and what you truly need. Meeting your financial obligations doesn’t have to mean that you have to be angry, thwarted, unhappy and sick for the rest of your life.

5. You’ve been brainwashed by the myth that you’ll go broke if you pursue work you love

There’s a prevalent myth in the U.S. today that if you pursue your passions and do rewarding work, you’ll go broke. Another version of this damaging myth is that work is supposed to be grueling, challenging and unsatisfying. We look at people who love their work and we hate them. We say, “Yeah, she’s doing what she wants to, but that’s because she was (lucky, born into it, inherited money, beautiful, privileged, etc.) And I can’t do that because ___.” We give ourselves thousands of reasons why loving what we do professionally just isn’t in the cards for us. We do that because it’s too painful for us to watch other people thrive and adore their work. We want it to be impossible because it seems so unattainable and so far away from us.

6. Your emotional overwhelm sabotages you

Every day I see individuals who are highly competent, smart, achievement oriented and outwardly successful, but are in terrible emotional overwhelm – they’re gripped by anxiety, fear, feeling victimized, and they lack the ability to speak up authoritatively or with command. They’re in a constant state of paralyzing emotional overwhelm. The emotionality of their lives keeps them from reasoning through effective solutions and strategies, or finding the physical energy to make a change.

7. Your shame and vulnerability keep you from getting help

One of my favorite author/speakers – Brene Brown – is a shame and vulnerability researcher (don’t miss her great TED Talk here.) She shares her findings that vulnerability is at the heart of living life full out. If we’re afraid of appearing and feeling vulnerable, then we blunt all of the other experiences/emotions we desperately long for, including happiness, connection, empathy, love and more. Further, if you need to appear the “expert” and won’t admit your flaws, foibles, or “gaps,” you’ll never get the help you need to make life change. As Einstein has said, “You can’t solve a problem on the level of consciousness that created it.”

8. You’ve forgotten what career bliss, and true happiness, feel like

Finally, the most depressing reason of all is that you’ve simply forgotten what it feels like to be happy and joyful in your work. You can’t remember the last time you said about your work, “That was a great day well spent!” or “What a joy to do this work!” We all strive so hard to achieve, win, or survive – and we’re so beaten down by it — that many have lost touch with what true joy feels and looks like, and we’ve forgotten to want it.

If any of these reasons resonate for you, there’s only one choice to make – stay put in your misery or make a bold change. It’s truly that simple – not easy, certainly, but simple.

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/05/heres-why-we-remain-stuck-in-careers-we-hate-8-essential-reasons/feed/0What Is Powerfully Positive Thought Leadership To You?http://kathycaprino.com/2015/04/what-is-powerfully-positive-thought-leadership-to-you/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/04/what-is-powerfully-positive-thought-leadership-to-you/#commentsSun, 26 Apr 2015 15:17:12 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7241We all hear the term "thought leadership" every day. But what is great thought leadership to you?

I’m active on LinkedIn group discussions, and I find that sharing ideas, dialogue and conversation there is a powerfully enriching experience because of the diversity of thought that LinkedIn members offer. With 330+ million members, LinkedIn gives us all a global worldview that opens our eyes, minds and hearts to different ways to understand the world and our lives.

Just today, an individual asked a question in one of my discussions that made me stop in my tracks. He asked, “What IS thought leadership?”

The term “thought leadership” is bantered around a million times a day online, but do we all know what we mean by it? I’ve been honored and thrilled to highlight the work of what I believe are top thought leaders in our world today, through my various blogs on Forbes, Huffington Post, LinkedIn, and this blog. But I realized this morning that I’ve never sat down and actually defined for myself what I believe great “thought leadership” is, and what I see as the highest form of it. So I took a stab.

Here’s my definition of the highest version of a thought leader:

“Thought leaders are informed opinion leaders and go-to experts in their field of expertise. Their perspectives, work and ideas move the understanding, implications and applications of their topic forward. They are trusted sources who — with integrity, authenticity and passion — move, educate, enliven and inspire people with innovative ideas that motivate positive change. They help turn ideas into reality, and have done the work to develop a teachable point of view that shares with others how to replicate their success. They are motivated not by being “right” but by helping and being of service.”

But I’m interested in your interpretations and definitions of a thought leader. How would you describe the best of the best thought leaders in the world? What do they do, inspire, and create for us? How do they impact the world in a positive way?

Please share your definitions below!

I know that putting a stake in the ground and defining the best thought leadership helps me create a vision for what I want to strive to offer and become. How about you?

]]>http://kathycaprino.com/2015/04/what-is-powerfully-positive-thought-leadership-to-you/feed/2How To Tell When Your Gut Is Leading You Astrayhttp://kathycaprino.com/2015/04/how-to-tell-when-your-gut-is-leading-you-astray/
http://kathycaprino.com/2015/04/how-to-tell-when-your-gut-is-leading-you-astray/#commentsThu, 23 Apr 2015 13:09:47 +0000http://kathycaprino.com/?p=7220Your gut instincts can help you, but they can also hurt you and hold you back. Here's how.

Recently, I conducted an interview with Herminia Ibarra around the idea that being overly attached to your own authenticity may in fact be holding you back. A controversial idea for sure, it explores that if we’re too wedded to what we have been and who we think we are now, we’ll perhaps be too afraid of and resistant to stretch beyond that concept, because it doesn’t feel like the “real” us to stretch beyond our existing self-definition. I’m a huge fan of authenticity, because I was so constrained in my former corporate life and felt I simply couldn’t be real, transparent and honest, ever. But I see what Herminia means and have to agree.

In fact, I believe that the same problem exists with regard to following our “gut instincts.” I’m not talking here about hard-wired human survival instincts, but about the natural, intuitive way of acting or thinking that each of us has personally developed through the specific experiences of our lives. Other words for the type of instinct I’m talking about are: natural tendency, inclination, urge, drive, compulsion, hunches, and your gut “feeling.”

Regarding these instincts, there are times when our gut is right on, and tells us accurately what to avoid — or pursue — in order to grow and thrive. But often, our instincts are not the best signals to follow, in isolation. They may tell us to run like the wind away from new, stretching experiences and opportunities that are “perceived” threats but in fact would bring us to a higher level of success, satisfaction and reward. Sometimes, you experience the same level of fear and high alert when contemplating significant positive change as you would if you were in a potentially life-threatening situation. Our instincts try to keep us safe and secure, but “safe” in our lives and livelihoods can often bring misery, pain and suffering. My instincts told me to “tough it out, Kathy!” and “C’mon, be a survivor!” and “You’re weak if you give up too soon,” or “Don’t let them get the better of you,” during the very tough times in my corporate career. Sadly, those instincts guided me on a long detour that took years to recover from.

What should we do then? How can we know when we should we follow our instincts, disregard them completely, or balance them with other signals?

I’ve seen that when 6 conditions are present, you need to be extra vigilant to avoid blindly following what your gut tells you to do, and instead, weigh all the other important factors before you make a decision.

These 6 conditions are:

You’re deathly afraid to stretch beyond where you are today.

I’ve connected with literally thousands of professionals in the past 10 years as a coach and a therapist, and I cannot count the times I’ve heard people say “I’m scared to make change.” The “what if” syndrome keeps so many planted firmly in one place, paralyzed, until a crisis hits like a cosmic 2×4’ across their faces and wakes them up. Human beings naturally want to grow and become more, but our fears, insecurities and anxieties can thwart that process. If you want more in your life and livelihood, but find yourself afraid to move, then listen to your heart and your mind as well as your gut. Say “yes” to stretching.

You don’t know yourself or what you want, so your gut says “Stay put!”

If you don’t know yourself – what you want, what you care about, who you are uniquely and what you have to offer the world (in short, if you’re walking unconsciously through life), then your natural intuitive reactions aren’t going to help you, because they’re not based on the authentic you, but on some smaller version that you’ve been taught to see. You’ll miss the real clues about the real life you want to live. Once you open your mind up to the possibility that you deserve better than unhappiness, disrespect or lack of fulfillment, and then dimensionalize for yourself what a happier life and career would be, your instincts can start supporting you better. You have to understand more about what you value and care about, and what gives your life meaning and what you deserve. You need to create a map. But if you remain unconscious and oblivious, your instinctive way of behaving won’t take you in a positive direction.

You have an intense negative reaction to an individual, and think you know why (but actually you don’t).

I’ve had this experience numerous times recently, until I finally “got it.” Just because you have an intensely negative reaction to someone doesn’t necessarily mean you should run from them, or shun them. Sometimes it means that they’re “perturbing your system” – agitating you, clashing with your worldview or values, and threatening the way you think and feel. And sometimes you’re intimidated and jealous but you just don’t want to admit it. When this happens, it’s a sign that your worldview and thinking need some expansion or revision. Your discomfort and agitation with people who are very different from you – or with people who are 10 steps ahead of you in ways you’re envious of — need examining. In these cases, it’s helpful to look more deeply at what specifically threatens and disturbs you, to make sure your bruised and fragile ego isn’t getting in the way.

You’re driven to say “yes” to a terrible job or career move solely because of the money.

Many career professionals come to coaching confused about how to decide on a number of alternatives in front of them. They haven’t formulated a solid decision making process for themselves, so they’re thinking they’ll just go with their gut. The problem is, they’re so consumed with financial worries that their gut tells them to “Take the money!!” even when there are a million other signs that this next move or job would be a disaster, and even when they have other better options in front of them. If you’re in terrible financial straits, or have deep, long-standing fear and trauma over money, you need to address your money challenges in an empowered way, quickly. The answer isn’t to take a terrible job that you’ll fail at or lose. The answer is to strengthen your financial management skills and your overall relationship with money so that you can create more financial stability, which in turn will pave the way for more positive outcomes and opportunities.

You fear that “there will never be anything better than this, so I have to settle.”

I remember when I was a young adult, I was in a relationship I wasn’t happy with, but I was afraid to break up with my boyfriend for fear that no one would love me as he did. I asked my beloved father what to do. He said something I’ll never forget: “Kathy, if you’re staying with him only because you think you’ll never experience a happier relationship, then it’s time to go. Don’t settle.” That was the best advice he ever gave me. If your gut is telling you to settle and compromise in your life or career because you’re afraid you don’t deserve something better or won’t ever get it, then your “instincts” have been programmed with the wrong input.

You’re driven to leap to new direction and run away – chucking everything because of the pain you’re in.

Finally, if you’re in a lot of pain and anguish over your current job, career or professional situation, you might be driven to just quit and run – chuck it all, walk away and never look back. What I learned in my therapy training, however, is that this wish to run is called “emotional cutoff” – attempting to manage our unresolved emotional issues with family members and colleagues by reducing or totally cutting off emotional contact with them. The problem is, if you haven’t learned how to deal with these situations in a more positive way, they will very likely repeat themselves again and again, until you do. The better solution is to find new ways to improve your situation and relationships right now – today. Whether it’s a toxic boss, being passed over for a promotion, having your ideas ignored, or feeling undervalued – start behaving differently in your work and taking empowered, authoritative steps to rectify these situations in a strong, confident way. If you don’t, these painful situations will re-emerge in the next role.

What is your gut telling you to do now, and what other signals should you be heeding?

(To learn when NOT to listen to your gut but to stretch boldly instead, join me in my free webinar training Fast Track To Career Bliss.)

Today, I had the honor of being featured in an exciting three-part series published by LinkedIn in which they asked members to share why they publish on LinkedIn. Being featured in this video and contemplating my thoughts on their questions has been thought-provoking and eye-opening, for sure.

Here’s the video:

And my responses to their questions:

Why do you feel it’s important to share your professional perspectives with the world?

Growing up, I absolutely adored writing. Nothing made me happier than to explore new ideas and see first-hand how different cultures and perspectives view the world.

Throughout my 18 year corporate career, however, I didn’t feel like I had an outlet to share my ideas openly or build discussion. I faced some challenges coming up the ranks as a woman, at times feeling totally isolated and alone. I wanted to focus on what I loved most–working with concepts and ideas – exploring them and moving them forward to build something powerful.

So, I decided to leave the corporate world to pursue my passion–helping women succeed in the workplace and in business. And now, after 10 years as a speaker, leadership developer, and career success coach, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with thousands of women and share knowledge on how we can thrive in our careers. Writing is a huge part of that for me.

Why did you decide to publish on LinkedIn?

When one lone person speaks up and shares their candid opinion about something, they’re actually representing thousands upon thousands of people who feel the same way. Publishing on LinkedIn makes that type of impact possible. It allows people to make their voices heard.

I’ve been able to reach millions of people who in many ways are my “tribe” – people who are experiencing the same types of challenges, issues and questions that I did (and do) in my professional life – and sharing new ways to look at these challenges and navigate through them. I’m doing work that I love and offering some transformative help in the process.

How has publishing on LinkedIn connected you to new opportunities?

A few of my posts have reached more than a million views and connected me with new partners, projects, speaking engagements, and writing opportunities. After publishing a post on toxic behaviors in the workplace, I was invited to join The Comedy Cellar Show on Sirius XM for an eye-opening discussion on toxic behaviors.

And it’s helped me connect with thousands of people around the world who are interested in the same issues as I am. The comments I receive really touch me, such as this recent comment from Sharnee Bennett in Australia who wrote: “Kathy, this is a beautiful well written and empathetic article. I think we can all see ourselves somewhere in your post at various times in our lives. Or even right now. The key is seeing it in ourselves. Being willing to see it ourselves. And then take supportive action to resolve. Thank you for your contribution.”

What would you say to someone thinking about publishing on LinkedIn?

Don’t be scared. Use your voice. Find it. Everyone on the planet has something important to say – critical experiences to share that are helpful to others, and that emerge from their unique perspectives, filters, histories, passions, traumas, and triumphs. When we share our ideas, challenges, and our perspectives more openly and publicly, it can be a truly life-changing experience.

* * * * * * *

In looking back, from the minute I decided to push through my fear of speaking up (which started in childhood), and to start writing and talking openly about my own challenges in the workplace, my life transformed. I saw that what I had faced in the workplace actually reflected thousands of women’s experiences throughout the world. I shed the feeling that I was alone and helpless, and I saw that I had the power to make a difference, to move the needle on critical issues and challenges, because it was a collective voice I was tapping into. I realized too, that when you share your unique and heartfelt take on life – with all the honesty, openness and courage you can muster — you inspire others to speak up about what matters to them. It changes not only your life, but the lives of all those around you as well.

Are you boldly and openly sharing your voice and your insights? It’s time.

This year, working with my wonderful marketing partner Jayme Johnson of Worthy Marketing Group (who’s an amazingly talented artist and designer) I’ve had a ball letting my creative juices flow a bit more, and designing photo images with quotes all aimed to help you tap into your creativity, your gifts and talents, and your passions, and share them with the world.

Here’s a compilation of my latest quotes. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed co-creating them!